KCsoccer.com Interview: Nate Houser

Photo: Baker University men's and women's soccer head coach Nate Houser talks with KCsoccer.com

Today KCsoccer.com profiles : Nate Houser

Team(s) you are affiliated with: Baker University Men and Women; Rush u19 boys

How did you begin playing/coaching? Playing- drove by rec sign-ups one day when I was 4, and said why not. Coaching- started with camps in college and then was a camp director with the Comets. I did some volunteer ODP work in-between. From there I applied for the head women’s job at Baker.Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach: Player- u17 Cal South State Cup, San Diego CIF Championship in high school. U19 Kansas State Cup. NPSL Championship 1997. Coaching- Heart of America Conference Championship 2008.

Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?): Played with/ against- Milos Bursac, Red Star European Champion 1991, the most complete player I have been on the field with. Carlos Valderama, big, fit, strong and no mistakes-ever! Kevin Koetters, KC Wizards & Attack, one of the best American players I played with or against. He could do everything and anything. John Limniatis, Canadian National Team Captain, very smart, intense and no nonsense. Hakan Suker, Galatasary, Best Striker I have been 2 yards from. Different in everyway.

Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching: When I started the game was built around sweepers, and not very organized. Now every good team is very well organized defensively, and many players are my size, 6’3”, but they are much better athletes. The game has also gotten much faster.

What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach? As a player I took the role of the underdog. Not very many rated me, so I used that as motivation to arrive early and stay late at training. I forced myself to play a simple game because I wasn’t very technical.
As a coach, it has been same. Many people don’t think players can be coaches, so I have tried to learn as much as I can from as many resources as possible and be a student of the game. I work hard, but maybe what works for me is the desire and ability to see the game from a players point of view. I try to use my experiences to help my players tackle their problems on the field.

If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be? I would make the season 6 months long with a break in the middle so we could see more development of players and teams at he college level. That would be a great challenge.

Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached: GK Dan Popik, LA Galaxy/ Milwaukee Rampage, D Ian Fraser, Canada/ Attack, D John Limniatis, Canada/ Attack, D Sammy Ekeme, Cameroon, Wizards, Attack, D Carlos Zavala, Toluca, Rochester Rhinos, MF, Kevin Koetters, Wizards/ Rochester Rhinos/ Attack, MF Goran Hunjak, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Attack, MF Mark Waite, Hampton Roads Mariners, MF Lenin Steenkamp, Rochester Rhinos, F Clovis Simas, Brazil Futsal World Champion, F Jon Wolniec, New York Red Bulls/ Milwaukee Rampage.

Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions): Zinadine Zidane, Diego Maradona, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rikgaard, Theirry Henry, Socrates, Patrick Viera, Franz Beckenbaur, Franco Baresi, Ronaldinho, Pele. This isn’t fair. I left off Maldini, Cruyff, George Best, Eric Cantona, Lev Yashin, Eusebio, etc.

This interview was completed on: (date) 1/20/08